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Not at all. Carver certainly has a chance in the game, but it’s anything but easy. Colquitt County is among the best teams in Class AAAAAA, and Carver, being a AAA team, will have its hands full.

A loss there wouldn’t dampen expectations, though.

The Tigers played a solid defense last week, and they were still methodical in their ability to slice through Shaw. Defensive end Mekhi Brown told me before the game last week that it could be “scary” how good Carver could be when the defense and offense clicked together.

And it was.

If that becomes a trend going forward, the Valley Preps power rankings might not be the only place the Tigers finish No. 1.

Week 2 Power rankings

1. Carver

Yes, Carver lost to Central head-to-head in a scrimmage. Be that as it may, Carver looked absolutely dominating in a 48-24 win over a solid Shaw team last week. Right now, Carver is a team finding its identity early in the season with some new pieces. The more it progresses, the stronger its hold will be on No. 1.

2. Central

Central’s loss to Carver-Montgomery last Thursday was disappointing, in part, because it dominated the first half of the game. A handful of big plays in the second half made the difference, but the Red Devils looked every bit the part of a region contender for much of the game.

3. Smiths Station

The Panthers hold steady at No. 3 this week, but they have a huge test against Auburn looming on Friday. Smiths Station is very much a playoff contender right now. If it wants to be taken seriously as a region contender, though, this is a game it will have to compete in.

4. Hardaway

Hardaway has won two games it was expected to win to start the season. Now, it gets Shaw, a team that started a seven-game spiral for the Hawks in 2012. This week, we’ll find out how much the Hawks have improved this season.

5. Manchester

The first two wins for Manchester have come against teams that combined for a 5-16 record last season. With that said, the defense has been every bit as dominant as it was a year ago. This week, it faces an improved Spencer team which has an offense that should put the Blue Devils to the test.

Just missed

Marion County

Count its win over Kendrick in the “good wins” category. The Cherokees aren’t an easy opponent.

Harris County

Harris County beat LaGrange for the first time in program history last week. That should be taken as a sign the Tigers are continuing to improve. Week 1 was a little disappointing, but Harris County appears to be back on track.

Follow David on Twitter @leprepsports or sports on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ledgerenquirersports

About Valley Preps

Jordan D. Hill has covered high schools and athletes in the Bi-City area for the Ledger-Enquirer since January 2017. Prior to coming to Columbus, Hill was a freelancer for The Macon Telegraph and an intern for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. A native of Jasper, Georgia, Hill is a graduate of Pickens High School and the University of Georgia.